Bristol Rovers 2 - 3 Leyton Orient
Coca-Cola League One
A SUPERB second half fightback carried Orient to their fourth successive away victory on Saturday as Wayne Gray, Tamika Mkandawire and Jason Demetriou all netted to erase a two-goal deficit.
Leading 2-0 through two Richard Walker penalties, Rovers seemed set to inflict defeat on the O's for the second week in a row, but Orient showed tremendous spirit to come back and take the points.
Bristol Rovers began on the front foot and Steve Elliott was the first to go close, hooking a right footed effort over the bar after latching on to Stuart Campbell's fifth minute free kick.
At the other end, Steve Phillips made a regulation stop to deny Alton Thelwell on eight minutes following Sean Thornton's cross from a half-cleared corner.
Six minutes later, Nelson dived down to his right to prevent Lewis Haldane from giving Rovers the lead after the winger collected Richard Walker's flick-on, sprited towards goal and cut inside Alton Thelwell.
Haldane's pace was proving troublesome for Paul Terry at right back during the opening stages, but the wingman was struggling to make the most of his crossing opportunities and genuine chances were few and far between.
With 34 minutes on the clock, Craig Disley dilligently tracked back with Adam Chambers to produce a last-ditch tackle inside the area after he ran onto JJ Melligan;s probing through ball.
Thornton shot speculatively wide from range a couple of minutes later, but Rovers were given an excellent chance to take the lead four minutes before the interval when Thornton was penalised for blocking Haldane's powerful shot with his arms.
The assistant referee signalled for a penalty, which Walker tucked away to Nelson's right.
It almost got worse for the O's on the stroke of half-time, but Nelson got across his goal well to push Campbell's free kick around the post.
Terry was booked for the foul on Haldane, and at half time he moved to central midfield, with Chambers lining up at right back.
However, the change had little effect as within eight minutes, Haldane's trickery and persistence saw him draw a foul from Chambers just inside the area, Walker stepped up and made no mistake from the spot again, drilling down the centre of the goal.
Orient were back in the game within six minutes, Gray wrongfooting home stopper Steve Phillips and passing into the net after collecting a pass from Terry, who had made a good run down the centre.
The O's looked to up the pressure and Melligan almost found an equaliser on 67 when he found space in the box to collect Gray's lay off and shoot goalwards. Phillips got just enough of a hand on the ball to divert it away from danger.
Jabo Ibehre and Jason Demetriou were brought on as Orient went for the equaliser and, following a good spell of possession 17 minutes from time, Ibehre received the ball from Thornton and rolled his man before firing a cross over that strike partner Gray headed wide at the far post.
Four minutes later that leveller did arrive when Mkandawire had the ball played into feet 25 yards from goal, turned away from his marker and lashed home via the far post.
A linesman's flag was raised against Thornton in the middle, but referee Steve Bratt ruled that he didn't interfere with play and allowed the goal to stand.
And nine minutes from time Demetriou completed the turn around by stroking home after Gray dispossed Byron Anthony on the edge of the box and passed to Ibehre, who coolly shifted possession to Demetriou.
Gray brushed the outside of the post on 87 and Ibehre wasted another chance to seal the points when he headed over from close range, but those misses weren't to matter as the O's saw out time to record a memorable victory.
Bristol Rovers: Phillips; Green, Anthony, Eliott, Carruthers; Igoe, Campbell, Disley (Pipe 82), Haldane (Jacobson 70); Walker, Lambert (Williams 70)
Subs: Hinton, Rigg
Goals: Walker (pen 41, pen 53)
Booked: Walker, Disley
Leyton Orient: Nelson; Terry (Demetriou 67), Thelwell, Mkandawire, Palmer; Melligan, Chambers, Thornton, Corden (Daniels 76); Gray, Boyd (Ibehre 67)
Subs: Morris (GK), Oji
Goals: Gray (59), Mkandawire (77), Demetriou (81)
Booked: Nelson, Terry, Chambers, Thornton
Referee: Steve Bratt (West Midlands)
Attendance: 7,181 (404 away)
